The Pretenders Back on the Chain Gang

Tom: F > >[Riff]: > > > opening strum: D A G G D A G G riff x2 D A G G I found a picture of you oh What hijacked my world at nights To a place in the past we've been passed out of oh Now we're back in the fight Em A We're back on the train (ooh, ah) Ohh A D A G G Back on the chain gang The circumstance beyond our control oh The fool on TV and the news of the world Got in the house like a pigeon from hell, oh Crescending our eyes and descended like flies Put us back on the train, yeah Oh Back on the chain gang D A G G riff x2 bridge: Dm A Dm A and so on The powers that be That forces us to live like we do Bring me to my knees When I see what they've done to you chord comping I'll die as I stand here today Knowing that deep in my heart A Dm Therefore to ruin one day A E For making us part----- E B A A I found a picture of you, oh Those were the happiest days of my life Like a brick in the baggle was your part, oh In the wretched life of a lonely heart Gbm B Now we're back on the train Ohh B E Back on the chain gang E B E B until end -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG- The Pretenders D A Em D A Em (rpt over riff) D A Em G G I found a picture of you oh D A Em G G What hijacked my world that night D A Em G G To a place in the past we've been cast out of oh D A Em G G Now we're back in the fight Em A Em A We're back on the train hey Em A D A D A Aaaah, back on the chain gang Circumstance beyond our control oh The phone, the TV, and the news of the world Got in the house like a pigeon from hell, oh Threw sand our eyes and descended like flies Put us back on the train, yeah Aaaaah, back on the chain gang D A Em D A Em D BRIDGE: Dm A7 Dm A7 Dm The powers that be that force us to live like we do A7 Dm A7 Dm A7 Dm A7 Bring me to my knees when I see what they've done to you Dm A7 Dm A7 Dm Well I'll die as I stand here today, knowing that deep in my heart A7 Dm They'll fall to ruin one day A7 E B A For making us part----- E B A A A I found a picture of you, oh E B A A A Those were the happiest days of my life E B A A A Like a break in the battle was your part, oh E B A A A In the wretched life of a lonely heart A B A B Now we're back on the train, hey A A E Aaaah, back on the chain gang B E B E (rpt and fade) Em: 0 2 2 0 3 0 G: 3 2 4 0 0 2 A: x 0 6 6 5 4 A: x 7 7 6 5 5 NOTE: If you find Gmaj too hard to finger, try Bm in its place. Not as accurate, but a hell of a lot easier. (from Learning to Crawl, 1983) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back on the Chain Gang" (The Pretenders) There are about three versions of this already in the archive, but none of them is quite right. This one's a little better; someone sent it to me last fall, and I recently cleaned it up because I wanted to play it. Unfortunately, this might still have mistakes; I can't check because I don't have the album. I'll have to see if I can get them to play it on the radio... BACK ON THE CHAIN GANG (The Pretenders) D A G G D A G G [intro; slow strum] [hard strum] D A G G D A G G [with lead guitar] D A G Bm - G I found a picture of you, ohh oh-oh ohh ohhh D A G Bm - G Oh, what hijacked my world that night? D A G Bm - G To a place in the past we've been cast out of, ohh oh-oh ohh ohhh D A G Bm - G Oh, now we're back in the fight Em A Em - Em A - A - A2 - A We're back on the train, yeah Em A D A G G Oh, oh, back on the chain gang Circumstance beyond our control, ohh oh-oh ohh ohhh Oh, the phone, the TV, and the news of the world Got in our house like a pigeon from hell (??), ohh oh-oh ohh ohhh Oh, threw sand in our eyes, and descended like flies Em A Em - Em A - A - A2 - A Put us back on the train, yeah Em A Em - Em A - A - A2 - A Ohhh, ohhhhh D A G Back on the chain gang D A G G D A G G [3 beats] [guitar solo, same as second part of intro] Dm A Dm A (Dm ) The powers that be that force us to live like we do Dm A Dm A (..do) Bring me to my knees when I see what they've done to you Dm AaddF Dm AaddF [no vocals] Dm A Dm A (Dm ) And will I die as I stand here today, knowing that deep in my heart Dm A Dm A (..heart) They'll fall to ruin one day, for making us part E B A Dbm - A [no vocals] E B A Dbm - A I found a picture of you, ohh oh-oh ohh ohhh E B A Dbm - A Oh, those were the happiest days of my life E B A Dbm - A Like a break in the battle was your part, ohh oh-oh ohh ohhh E B A Dbm - A Oh, in the wretched life of a lonely heart Gbm B Gbm - Gbm B - B - B2 - B Now we're back on the train, yeah Gbm A E B A A Oh, oh, back on the chain gang E B Chain gang [repeat and fade] Funny chords: Em: 022003 F#m: 244225 Dm: x00231 - x00230 - x00231 AaddF: x02220 - x02221 - x02220 Intro: & Solo: D A (/=slide, p=pull off, b=bend, ~=vibrato) For the ending two chords, arpeggiate as follows: E B